It has been widely assumed that the portrayal of women in fairytales subscribes to somewhat
outdated and stereotypical modes of representation. Upon closer inspection however, it can be
seen that this is a fallacious assumption and that the female roles in these stories are much
more multidimensional in nature. One of the most popular fairytales from the Grimm Brothers
is Cinderella. The portrayal of women in this story is typical of the weak, subjected woman
who needs to be rescued by the prince from her unfavourable and subjugated position.
The research presented here aims to show that the Grimm’s specific depiction of Cinderella in
the 19th century provides an alternative to the modern myth. Here, she reacts strongly and
independently to find the most advantageous resolution to her problematic subject position.
To this end the Grimms’ version will be compared to text and filmic versions from the 20th
and 21st centuries. By comparing aspects of female representation in the Cinderella-themed
portrayals, one can evaluate the extent to which societal expectations have altered over time
as well as investigating the modern-day implications of this.